This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Utah State linebackers Kyler Fackrell and Nick Vigil and wide receiver Hunter Sharp will participate in the 2016 NFL combine, starting Feb. 24 in Indianapolis. The event runs through Feb. 29.
In all, 332 players were invited to this year's combine, including 39 linebackers and 43 receivers.
Among Mountain West Conference schools, Utah State and San Jose State have the most players participating in the event. Boise State, Colorado State and San Diego State will each have two.
The combine is an annual job fair for prospective NFL players. For six days at Lucas Oil Stadium, players are put through a series of drills, tests and interviews, which are conducted by more than 600 NFL head coaches, general managers and scouts.
This year's NFL Draft is scheduled April 28-30.
Fackrell, a 6-foot-5, 250-pound linebacker out of Mesa (Ariz.) High School, was a first-team all-Mountain West selection as a senior. He finished first in the country with five fumble recoveries and set a school record with 12 quarterback sacks. He ended up with 82 tackles — 6.3 per game — and was a two-time Defensive Player of the Week in the conference.
Vigil is a 6-2, 235-pound linebacker from Fremont High School in Plain City. He finished first in the conference and sixth in the nation with 145 tackles. He ended his career ranked 13th in school history with 324 tackles, including 15.5 sacks.
Sharp is a 6-foot, 200-pound receiver from Highland High School in Palmdale, Calif., and Antelope Valley Junior College. He earned second-team all-Mountain West honors this season after finishing 19th in the country with 71 receptions for 835 yards. He caught nine touchdown passes, including two in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl against Akron.
— Steve Luhm